Faculty & Staff Directory

Dr. Donna Breault received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Supervision from Georgia State University. Her research interests include John Dewey’s theory of inquiry and how it relates to curriculum theorizing, teacher education, and the nature and purpose of educational research. She has also studied school and university partnerships and trends in program development in higher education. Her recent publications include... Read More

Dr. Carla Abreu-Ellis, Associate Professor, holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University. Dr. Abreu-Ellis teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the Dwight Schar College of Education at Ashland University. Her research interests include College students with disabilities, technology and disabilities, access to education and retention of college students, Universal... Read More

Dr. Bonnie Adams, Associate Professor, joined the Ashland University faculty in 1989. Her areas of expertise include storytelling, child abuse and learning disabilities. She received her Ph.D. in special education, evaluation and measurement from Kent State University; master's degree in special education from Kent State University; master of science degree in psychology from Carnegie-Mellon University; and a... Read More

Dr. Judy A. Alston joined the Ashland University faculty in 2007. Her research foci include Black female school superintendents; the exploration of how the intersections of class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual diversity and ability affect leaders; tempered radicals; servant leadership; and black LGBT issues in educational leadership. She received her Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration from The... Read More

Dr. Penny Arnold, Associate Professor, joined the Ashland University faculty in 1996. Her areas of expertise include the effectiveness of proficiency test and board certified teachers. She was one of the first teachers in the country to earn National Board Certification. She is a multi-year recipient of the Academic Mentor Award. She has 30 years experience as a middle school teacher and two years experience... Read More

Dr. Linda Billman, Associate Professor, has been a member of the Ashland University faculty since 1997. She has served as chair of the Department of Early Childhood and the associate dean of the College of Education. Dr. Billman earned her Ph.D. from the University of Akron. She teaches in the areas of educational foundations and literacy.
Dr. Billman has extensive leadership experiences within both state and... Read More

Retired Emeritus faculty. Dr. Herbert Broda, Professor, joined Ashland University in 1998. His areas of expertise include outdoor education, the school yard as a teaching tool and middle grade education. He received the Taylor Teaching Award in 2007 and was named Outstanding Male Faculty Member of the Year in 2009. Dr. Broda serves as the university's Coordinator of First Year Experiences. He has a bachelor of arts... Read More

Dr. Fred Burton, Associate Professor, joined the Ashland University faculty in 2008. With extensive experience as an elementary school teacher and principal, he brings a practical perspective that is informed by his theoretical and philosophical roots in child-centered, progressive education. His areas of expertise include early and middle childhood education, Reggio-Emilia inspired teaching and integrated... Read More

Dr. Cathryn Chappell, Associate Professor, joined Ashland University in 2004. Her areas of expertise include assessment, multicultural education, peace education, and social justice issues. Her primary areas of scholarship include post-secondary prison education and libraries as community centers. She earned her B.A. in psychology and M.Ed., and Ed.D. in the social and psychological foundations of education at the... Read More

Dr. James Chapple, Assistant Professor, joined Ashland University in 2003. He was a recipient of an Academic Mentor Award in 2009. His areas of expertise include disabilities, working with children with disabilities and including children with disabilities in the general education classroom. Chapple holds a master of science degree from Bowling Green State University, a bachelor of science degree from Miami... Read More

Diane E. Craig, Professional Instructor, joined Ashland University in 2008. Mrs. Craig has a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education from The University of Akron, a M.Ed. In Early Childhood Education from Kent State University and is completing her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Kent State University. She has taught a variety of courses for both preschool through primary grade education, and is... Read More

Dr. Bob Cyders continues his long professional association with the university, serving as a Professional Instructor. Dr. Cyders comes to AU fulltime faculty after serving 8 years with the Ohio Department of Education as a member of the School Improvement Diagnostic Review team Previously, he served as a curriculum consultant and team leader with the Mid-Ohio Education Service Center, in the central office and as... Read More

Dr. Stephen Denney, Assistant Professor, joined Ashland University in 2007. His areas of expertise include transition and self-determination for students with disabilities. He earned his B.A.in History from the University of Colorado and his M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Special Education from Kent State University.

Dr. Allison Dickey, Associate Professor, joined the Ashland University faculty in 2003. Her areas of expertise include disabilities, special education and teacher preparation. She holds a bachelor of science degree in specific learning disabilities, a master of education degree in varying exceptionalities and a doctor of education degree in curriculum and instruction, all from the University of Central Florida.

Born and raised in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada, Dr. Jason Brent Ellis, Associate Professor of Educational Technology, joined the Ashland University faculty in 2007. His research focuses on historical representations and artifacts of technology, disability and inclusion in the 19th and 20th centuries, instructional design in teletandem models of language acquisition, pedagogy and didactics, both modern and historical... Read More

Dr. Carol Engler, associate professor, joined the Ashland University faculty in 2002. She is a 30-year veteran of the Akron Ohio Public Schools where she served as a high school administrator, counselor and teacher.
She is founder and former Executive Director of The Ohio Council of Professorsof Educational Administration (OCPEA), a consortium of the 24 universities inOhio that offer masters degrees and licensure... Read More

Retired Emeritus faculty. Louise Conn Fleming-Dufala, Ph.D., has been a Professor of Education at Ashland University in Ashland Ohio for 23 years. She is the Chairperson of the Department of Foundations, Inquiry, and Community Education. She teaches Democracy in Education, Social and Professional Issues, and Outdoor Education. For years, she has researched, presented, and published on democracy in education and in... Read More

Susan Franz has been a Professional Instructor at Ashland University since 2014. She was awarded a Bachelors Degree from Kent State University in Special Education and Elementary Education and Masters from Ashland University in Curriculum Instruction. She taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th grades as well as Special Education in Wadsworth City Schools for 35 years and was the first teacher in Wadsworth to obtain National Board... Read More